I’m so excited to share my third and final first-author publication from my PhD!! We discovered NK cells express fibroblast activation protein (FAP) and use it to migrate into tumors! FAP overexpressing NK cells reduced pancreatic cancer growth in mice!

Every time I try chatGPT I’m shocked by how bad it is

We had a kids Christmas party today and my MIL made this incredible Grinch fruit platter!! The creativity!! The execution!!

Today I learned a prolonged INR will not affect hemostasis until it’s 1.8 or greater.

LOOK AT THIS ADORABLE, VERY TINY GLASS BLOWN CHRISTMAS TREE! It has even more adorable, even tinier glass blown ornaments 🥹🎄🎅🏻

Today I learned about “gelatinous marrow”. In patients with severe malnutrition, the healthy fat cells atrophy and are replaced by a gelatinous substance (mostly hyaluronic acid). Normal: Gelatinous:

Adding paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and myeloproliferative neoplasms (which is a subtype of cancer but more specific I suppose) to this list!! So clots in arterial or weird venous places: - APLS - PNH - MPN - HIT - hyperhomocysteinemia

Sometimes you do have to go and look at the smear under the microscope 💔

Today I learned activated clotting time (ACT), a point of care test used during surgeries to monitor anticoagulation, can be falsely elevated by lupus anticoagulants/APLS, making the patient seem like they have enough anticoagulant on board when they do not.

My mom found out I can’t differentiate a crocheted blanket from a knit one and she was incredibly disappointed. I tried to reassure her I have other skills 🤣

Today I learned the cut off for a normal d-dimer is adjusted by age. Less than 50 yo normal is less than 500. Above that it’s the patient’s age multiplied by 10. So 65 yo normal is less than 650. 80 yo normal is less than 800.

🔴 Publication alert Our Conquer Cancer Merit Award-winning meta-analysis on EGFR inhibitor rechallenge for metastatic colorectal cancer has been published in @JCOOP_ASCO (first and corresponding author)! https://t.co/sDpv2EqlDG We showed that EGFR inhibitor rechallenge was

I also learned Andexxa (Andexanet Alfa, DOAC reversal agent) is getting pulled from the market December 22nd!! 😮

Today I learned soluble interleukin-2 receptor alpha (sCD25), along with ferritin, can be used to monitor HLH disease activity.

Last night we had a great fellowship holiday party celebrating with co-fellows and program leadership! So grateful to be training with such brilliant, supportive, and, most importantly, funny people!!

Today I learned that while clots in veins can be caused by all sorts of things, clots in arteries are usually caused by cancer or anti-phospholipid syndrome (APLS).

Today I learned ipi/nivo has more toxicity when given in the neoadjuvant setting than if it’s given in the metastatic setting.

Today I learned about the PATCH trial which shows in patients on DAPT who developed intracranial hemorrhage, patients who recieved platelet transfusion actually had worse neourolgic outcomes than patients who got standard of care.

Today I learned about re-differentiation tx for thyroid cancers (TC). If TC has become resistant to radioactive iodine it’s often because they lose expression of the sodium-iodine co-transporter. Treatment with targeted therapy can induce expression, allowing RAI to work again.

Parts of the green line in Boston are shut down for repairs so to get to MGH today I had to do green line ➡️ shuttle bus ➡️ orange line ➡️ red line. What makes this worse is the fact that doing all of this was actually faster than my usual commute on just the green line 🫠

Congratulations to all the @BrighamMedRes who matched!!! But most importantly congratulations to ME for being so fortunate to call these incredible people my friends!! (And so many of them staying in Boston!!)